Public Relations
by charlayla
Summary: "He's blackmailing Malfoy and I into a relationship! And he's going to fire Malfoy and destroy my career if we don't!"
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately own nothing but the plot!**

**A/N: This random plot came to me while I was trying to procrastinate (as always). I hope you all enjoy it. Please let me know if you think I should keep going with it.**

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**Chapter 1**

Hermione Granger huffed ungracefully as she threw herself into the shabby chair across from her boss's desk. Phineas Goldbloom, the Head of the Public Relations Department, was rather portly old man who had been in his position for the past 20 years. And if she was really being honest, he was a complete moron and a downright shame to the Ministry of Magic. I mean, you just had to look at the utter disregard that the entire Wizarding Community had for the Ministry to see that he was doing a rather ridiculous job of it all.

The ex-Gryffindor had been working within the department since the end of the Second Wizarding War, 5 years ago. And of course, she had set herself amongst the very top of the Department, so much so that she now outranked certain members that had been a part of the team for much longer than her. Phineas was due to retire within the next year and Hermione was doing everything in her power to ensure that she would become the Head of the department and bring in some big changes.

It was for this reason she had been breaking her back with her ridiculous workload, trying to ensure that she would be the most eligible for the man's job. The only person in the team that was perhaps remotely worthy of the job was Davy Gudgeon. Though he most definitely wasn't as determined as Hermione, he had fifteen years of experience on her, having had worked with Phineas since his appointment as the head of the department and was rather chummy with the old man.

And that was most definitely going to work against her. It was no secret that Hermione was the best option for the position and old Phineas was rather vocal in his disdain for the fast-moving woman. Rather than focussing on his own work, he was doing everything he could to ensure her failure so that he wouldn't be obliged to promote her. And she had been practically bending backwards to impress the damned man.

It wasn't just Hermione he disliked. He was rather disapproving of all of his younger employees – he was convinced that they were all ill-equipped for the job. It hadn't helped that his department had been subjected to Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt's Reparation Act of 1998.

Former Death Eaters who had shown true remorse for their actions during the Second Wizarding War had been given the chance to make amends for their past sins. Many were placed within lowly positions in the Ministry where they could be monitored and acclimated to a peaceful and just Wizarding World.

Hermione huffed again as she crossed her arms in front of her chest in exasperation. Trust the old man to call for her at '2pm on the dot' and then make her wait.

What seemed to be at least 15 minutes later, the door to Phineas' office flew open and the rotund man pompously strolled into the room. Hermione suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at the man; if she wanted to get to the top, she had to play nice with the old coot.

However, she couldn't suppress the groan that escaped her lips as she set eyes on the man who followed him in. He was the most detested of her co-workers; bloody Draco Malfoy. Pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, she tried to ignore the slight throbbing that was building in her head.

Any meeting with both bloody Phineas and Draco Malfoy was enough to make her head pound. The ex-Slytherin had become the bane of her existence ever since he had been taken on by Shacklebolt as his 'pet project'. Draco Malfoy had proven to be the greatest accomplishment of the Reparation Act thus far. He may have appeased the Minister of Magic but he continued to drive Hermione insane with his continuous whining and insults. He had made the task of being his supervisor extremely taxing.

"Ah, welcome Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy." The old man drawled, perching himself in the large seat behind the rather ostentatious desk. His two employees merely stared at him response, Draco offering the man a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, yes, I shouldn't have expected a reply, hm?" He continued. "Some things never change, I suppose. Either way I am glad you are both here on time."

It was Hermione's turn to raise an eyebrow as the old man rambled on, almost as if he were buying time. "Get to the point, Goldbloom." Draco hissed, crossing his arms over his chest with impatience.

With a dramatic sigh, the man leaned forward in his chair, placing his arms on the desk in front of him. "Very well. As you know, the Ministry has suffered greatly in the public eye since the war. We are the laughing stock of the community and it is a downright shame. Wizarding communities around the world are looking at us with disdain – unable to keep peace within our midst."

Hermione found herself agreeing with the blonde man beside her. If there was one talent that Phineas possessed, it was the ability to beat around the bush endlessly. He could honestly blabber on for hours, if allowed.

"I said, get to the point." Phineas furrowed his eyebrows at his subordinate in frustration. If it weren't for Shacklebolt, he would have fired the man a long time ago. 'Self-entitled brat. Just you wait – I'll soon get my way.' He thought, a vindictive smile adorning his wrinkled face.

"This may be hard for someone like you but be patient, Mr Malfoy." Hermione was staring at the old man suspiciously. The look on his face told her clearly that he was up to something. And knowing him, his bloody plan would make her life a living hell.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," he restarted, sending Draco a scathing glare. "The Ministry has been subject to ridicule since the start of the war. We have been subject to multiple scathing remarks of our inability to keep peace within our community. I believe that Monsieur Fournier himself referred to us as a useless bunch of quacks."

"We have been mocked for allowing prejudice to overpower us. The battle of blood has long been considered a medieval notion and we have been ridiculed for our archaic ideals. It is time to put an end to this."

Hermione would have sworn that her eyebrows were somewhere intermingled with her hairline at his words. Of course, equality within the Wizarding World was her ultimate goal. But she somehow doubted that Phineas would be able to pull it off – let alone within any plausible timeframe.

Phineas was still looking quite proud of himself. "So what's your fabulous plan, Phineas?" She asked, her patience close to running out.

Sighing heavily, Phineas glared at the two young adults in front of him. "Apparently patience isn't a strong virtue of your generation." He muttered under his breath before he puffed out his chest with a false sense of grandeur.

"Kingsley and I have been discussing the ways in which we can improve our standing in the public eye. We believe that a romantic relationship between a prominent Pureblood and respected Muggleborn within our community would refute the international opinion of us and ameliorate our standing in society."

He paused with anticipation, smiling meaningfully at the pair in front of him. "Okay…" Hermione muttered in attempt to bring an end to the prolonged silence.

Draco let out a loud sigh in irritation. "What the hell are _we_ sitting here for?" He hissed, his famously short temper nearing its end.

"Well...the two of you are going to be that couple."

A heavily pregnant silence filled the room as the plump man smiled maliciously at the pair who were blankly staring at him. Hermione spluttered rather uncharacteristically, gasping as she tried to contain herself.

"You've lost your fucking mind, Goldbloom!"

The old coot jumped as Draco slammed his fists down on the desk. His face was contorted in an outraged sneer. Phineas suppressed the urge to shudder – if he hadn't known better, he would have been sure that he was staring into the chilling face of Lucius Malfoy.

He took a deep breath to steady himself. Standing up to meet Draco's stance, he stared back at him. "Sit down, Mr Malfoy." The curly-haired girl was still angrily seething in her seat.

"I said you've lost your goddamn mind."

"And I said, sit down. I am not finished."

Draco continued to stare at the man, taking a deep breathe to placate himself. With a sneer, he spun on his heel and unceremoniously threw himself into the chair.

"The pair of you will portray a well-established relationship; you pretend that you have been dating for the past year and play the part of a very much enamoured couple. And you will continue your charade for at least a year, when I shall retire."

"Did you really think we were just going to sit back and agree with you?!" Hermione screeched. Draco winced; if there was anything that he remembered from his school days, it was that her voice reached such an unholy tone when she was furious. He should know; he had been the cause of such rage time and time again.

Phineas scoffed, raising his eyebrow in amusement. "Don't take me for such a fool, Miss Granger. I am well aware of how insubordinate you both are. But I will graciously inform you that it is in your best interests to do as I ask."

Draco barked with laughter. "In our best interests? You've got to be kidding."

"Oh but I'm very serious, Mr Malfoy. I have the power to fire you if I please. So far you have been relatively well behaved but if you refuse me, I most definitely will do just that. And you will lose any chance of rescuing your family's pitiful reputation."

His eyebrows knitted together in displeasure as the man turned to Hermione. "And as for you, Miss Granger, don't forget that I decide who my successor is. As you know, I am rather fond of Davy and would much rather promote him. Doing as I ask is your _only_ chance."

Phineas was much appeased at the distraught grimaces playing on their faces. "Blackmail, Goldbloom? I thought even you were above that." Draco hissed, his rage bubbling inside of him.

"Ah, that is where you are mistaken. This is not blackmail. I am simply making a request – what repercussions you face for your defiance is a different matter." He leant back in his chair and crossed his arms, preening in his moment of glory.

Hermione stood up and stormed towards the door. She threw it open, relishing as it noisily slammed against the wall. "Just you wait until Kingsley hears of this."

Now, seeing Hermione stalk down the hallways with her hair billowing behind her was not a rare occurrence. But this was a whole new story. Justin Finch-Fletchley would later swear that he could see the steam billowing from her ears as she stomped her way past his desk on her way to the Minister's office.

"Minister Shacklebolt is busy at th-"

She threw the door open with such force that Justin would later swear that the walls shook a little. "Kingsley! We need to speak right now!"

Kingsley Shacklebolt filed away the last bit of his day's paperwork. It was the first time in a while that he had had a clear desk. He leant back in his chair and looked over the empty desk with satisfaction.

He massaged his temples, preparing himself for his weekly assessment of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement caseload. He jumped in his chair as the door flew open with incredible force. A lump rose in his throat when he saw the woman standing in front of him, her hair sitting like a mane around her head.

"Kingsley! We need to speak right now!" The fury on her face was evident as she marched closer to his desk.

"Hermione." He greeted cautiously. He had always had great respect for the girl and was well aware of her fiery temper. After all, she had socked Draco Malfoy in the jaw when she was only 13 years old.

"Phineas has completely lost his mind! He has gone bloody loony!" She shrieked with outrage.

"I know the man is a little eccentric but don't forget he _is_ your boss."

"He may be my boss but he's fucking bonkers!" Kingsley blanched at her language; never had he heard the woman use profanities. "He's _blackmailing _Malfoy and I into a relationship! And he's going to fucking _fire _Malfoy and _destroy _my career if we don't!"

She was pacing the length of his office, her hands flying around the room with her words. "There's got to be some law against it! You've got to stop him, Kingsley!"

He sighed deeply. He should have seen this coming from a mile away. "I'm well aware of his plan, Hermione."

Her rant ended abruptly, her eyes widening at him. "What?!"

Kingsley found himself surprised when the windows didn't shatter at the pitch of her voice. "He told me of his intentions last week." He rose his hand as she opened her mouth. "And I must admit, I think it a rather inspired idea."

"Inspired? Inspired?!"

"Yes. _Inspired_. I suggest you do as he asks; he is able to promote and fire whoever as he sees fit if they are not cooperating within the team."

Hermione was gaping at him in a rather inelegant manner. "You're _supporting_ him?" She hissed, her voice reaching a dangerously low level. Now this was a side to her he had seen before, and the object of her wrath had rarely gotten away unscathed.

"Yes I am. There is a reason he has been the head of the department for two decades. I suggest you do as he asks."

He winced as the door slammed behind the furious woman. Spinning in his chair, he gazed upon the portrait of Albus Dumbledore that hung behind his desk. The bearded wizard was gleefully beaming at him.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Albus." He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The wizard's smile grew larger, if that was even possible, as he chuckled at the dark-skinned man.

"I always do, Kingsley."

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**A/N: Please review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I am unfortunately not JK Rowling.**

**A/N: I was super excited for the feedback I got from the first chapter! I don't have pre-written chapters so it may take me a little longer to update this story than 'Without a Trace'; especially with exams around the corner! Please be patient with me!**

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**Chapter 02**

Draco Malfoy raised an eyebrow at enraged woman that was pacing in front of him. She had stormed back into Phineas' office in a frenzy and had promptly started yelling at the man. Phineas had let her shout for a little while before silencing her with a flick of his wand. And with that he had laid down the ground rules.

They were to announce their relationship at the upcoming Liberty Ball, an annual celebration of the Second Wizarding War. They had the next two weeks before the ball to smooth out the details of their charade. The arsehole had even forced them into an Unbreakable Vow to keep up a realistic façade for the next year before offering to fund any expenses they needed for the next fortnight to make their story believable.

Draco scowled as he thought back to the end of their meeting.

_[Fifteen minutes ago]_

"Have you ever thought that perhaps one of us is _already_ in a relationship? I'm quite sure that Granger here has been cavorting around with her dear Weasel."

"For your information, _Malfoy_," she hissed, pronouncing his last name like it was a form of disease. "I broke up with Ron a bit over a year ago. But he _does_ bring up a good point, Goldbloom. Do you really think anyone is going to believe that we've been going out for a year? I'm sure Malfoy hasn't been able to keep it in his pants for that long."

Draco scoffed at that. "Perhaps if it were last year, that would be true. But _unfortunately_, I have not graced our community's women with my skills for a little while."

Hermione raised an elegantly arched eyebrow at him. "Having trouble getting it up, hm?"

He scowled at the bushy-haired woman before answering her. "If you must know, I had a rather horrible experience with one particular witch who become somewhat enamoured with me after our tryst. Needless to say, I refuse to put myself in such a situation again." Much to his disdain, he couldn't suppress the shudder that overcame him as he remembered the woman.

_[Present time]_

As she wore circles into his office carpet, he took the opportunity to look her over – he had long tuned out of her rant. He had to admit that when she had laughed at him in Phineas' office, it had been delightfully feminine. But as for the rest of her…well she was exactly what he expected of a prudish bookworm.

She had a frizzy mane of uncontrollable brown hair and her eyes were a rather nice auburn colour. He did quite like the spark he could see flashing in her eyes as she continued to chuckle. And rather predictably, she was wearing much-too-large robes that were rather drab. Her feet were covered with a rather dowdy pair of Mary Janes.

"So Malfoy, tell me…what exactly happened with your last conquest?" She ungracefully threw herself into the couch across from his desk.

"That's none of your business, Granger." He snarled from behind his desk, frowning as he leaned back to glare at her.

She smiled that insufferably all-knowing smile and leant forward. "Well actually, it is most definitely my business, especially if we've supposedly been dating for the past year."

Draco sighed heavily, massaging his temples with irritation. "Fine."

_[Flashback]_

"_Dracoooo! Baby! Let me in!"_

_Pinching the bridge of his nose, he glanced out of the peephole. That bloody woman was standing at his door, screaming like a cat being tortured. Who the hell had let her into the damned building?! He had obviously been bloody hammered when he had met her at the bar last week because he could have sworn she was a 10 out of 10._

_Of course, she was drop dead gorgeous – the woman could be a model if she wanted – but her empty head and grating personality were a different story._

"_Drakeeeyyyyyy!"_

_The woman had somehow found out his address. In the week since he had snuck out of her place as she fell asleep, she had not left him alone. She had followed him EVERYWHERE. On his way to work, she had been there. Out for dinner with Blaise and Theo, she was there. When his mother dragged him into Diagon Alley with her, she was there._

"_Baby boy! Let me in!" He thanked Merlin for what had to be the thousandth time for the wards his mother had insisted he place on his apartment._

"_Get lost, woman!" He growled through the door._

"_Why are you trying to hurt me Draco?" She whined, her voice reaching an unholy pitch._

"_If you don't get off my doorstep this instant, I will call the Aurors." He threatened. It was the last thing he wanted to do – admit that he couldn't handle a 100lb woman. But she was certifiably insane._

_[End Flashback]_

Much to his disdain, Draco had resorted to summoning the Aurors. And to his utter horror, Pothead and Weasel had appeared on his doorstep. It had been a positively humiliating experience and with that ended his illustrious career as the Casanova of Wizarding Britain and serial heart-breaker.

His scowl deepened as the ex-Gryffindor howled with laughter. "Go to hell Granger." She was wiping away the tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes. He smirked at the woman in front of him. "Your turn."

Her eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I said, it's your turn." He drawled. "I told you my story. Now what happened with you and Weasel? I was sure you two would have been popping out pauper babies by now."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the man; apparently he would never grow up. With a heavy sigh, she propped herself up with her forearms on her thighs.

"We started dating after the war and things were lovely at first. But looking back, I wasn't quite as taken with the relationship as he was. Ron wanted to get married and start a family. He wanted me to stop working and become a housewife…become his mother. And then he became increasingly possessive; if he ever saw me talking to another guy that he didn't trust, he'd completely lose it. I realised that I didn't want the same out of life as him and I didn't love him like I should have. So I ended the relationship."

Draco sat speechless. He hadn't exactly expected her to answer him so candidly without hesitation. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "So…how are things now?"

She sat back in the cough with a heavy sigh. "Awkward – he's convinced that I'll come running back to him. He is still quite possessive of me. It _has_ strained my relationship with Harry and Ginny – but I still try to see them when I can."

He shifted awkwardly in his seat. "Why are you telling me this?"

Hermione shrugged. "If we're supposedly dating, you'd be expected to know this. Besides, you'll have to face him at the ball."

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_[3 days later]_

"I still don't bloody understand why we're here, Malfoy."

They were standing on front of a rather extravagant boutique somewhere in the middle of Paris. Hermione was in no way surprised that he had chosen some showy place to take her. A large ornate wire sign hung over the doorway, announcing the name of the store. _Beautification Personified_. She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Draco." He reminded her under his breath. "And we're here because if you're going to be my girlfriend, you're going to have to _look_ like it."

"There's nothing wrong with the way I look now!" She glared at him as a bark of laughter escaped his lips.

"You've got to be joking, Hermione." He said, accentuating her name to prove a point. No one was going to believe they were in a committed relationship if they couldn't even use each other's first names. "You look like a menopausal woman."

"I do not!" She hissed with indignation. "Excuse me for dressing practically."

"There's a line between practical and a frumpy old librarian." He struggled to suppress his mirth as she stormed into the store in a huff.

"Bonjour Madamoiselle!" A rather effeminate man pranced up to her, throwing his hands in the air as if they were long lost friends. "What can I do for you?" His voice was heavily laced with a French accent.

"Pierre." Draco greeted as he made his way into the salon.

"Ah Monsieur Malfoy! A pleasure as always!" The Frenchman greeted, giving the blonde a quick embrace. "Is this lady with you?"

"Yes, she is. And as you can see, she desperately needs some attention." He muttered, ensuring Hermione had overheard him.

"Yes, yes. So sad. But so full of potential, no?" Pierre was already eyeing her over, forming a checklist in his mind.

"_This lady_ is standing right here and can hear you." Hermione hissed, even more put out when the two men ignored her.

"Do what you can, Pierre; hair, skin, makeup, clothes…everything. There's no monetary limit." The man clapped his hands with joy before bustling Hermione off in front of him.

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_[A few hours later]_

Draco Malfoy was impatiently pacing up and down the salon entrance. It had been hours since he had left Hermione behind, taking the time to visit some old friends who lived in the area. He had known going into this that it wouldn't be easy to make Hermione resemble a reasonably attractive woman but this was simply ridiculous.

A musical feminine laugh rang through the salon, cursing himself as his stomach somersaulted. The last thing he needed was to think of Granger in _those_ ways. No – they had agreed that they were going to treat this whole mess as a business transaction and nothing more.

"Monsieur Malfoy! We have been waiting for you!" Pierre announced as he appeared at the reception desk.

"I trust everything went well."

"Oh absolutely perfect! The mademoiselle made it very easy – we barely had to do anything…apart from replacing her wardrobe, no?" Draco scoffed; that was an understatement if he ever heard one. I mean really, did the bookworm borrow all her clothes from McGonagall? "Follow me, follow me!"

His eyebrows shot up as he made his way through to the heart of the boutique. A large black velvet curtain was drawn across the room, hiding Hermione from his sight. Pierre's assistant was excitedly grasping at the edge of the curtain, waiting to reveal their handiwork.

"Are you ready, Draco?" He raised his eyebrow impatiently at the flamboyant man. "Désolé, Monsieur. I present to you – Hermione Granger."

Draco braced himself, clenching his jaw to prevent it from to dropping open. Who the hell knew Granger looked like _that_?

Her hair wasn't quite as unkempt as it had been before, tamed into wild curls that framed her face quite perfectly. A slight touch of makeup had emphasised her defined cheekbones and made her eyes seem to sparkle. And that _body_.

Granger clearly needed to dispose of her whole wardrobe because the robes did her no justice whatsoever. Pierre had put her into a rather low-cut maxi dress that seemed to perfectly skim her secret curves. The dress had daring slits travelling up the sides of it, flashing her wonderfully toned legs. And that arse…well it looked perfectly delightful in that dress.

Draco cursed at himself as he felt a twitch of arousal wash over him and his mouth dry. 'For Salazar's sake, Draco. Pull yourself together. This is _Granger_ we're talking about here.'

"Well, _Draco_?" She asked. "Am I now acceptable for your majesty?"

He scowled at her sarcastic tone. "Whatever Granger. I'll see you at the office tomorrow."

* * *

_[One week later]_

Ever since that day at the office, things had gone downhill. Not a single day had passed without a monumental squabble between the two of them; Hermione was all too grateful for the silencing spells she had made sure to cast each morning.

They had earned a fair few curious stares and whispers from their co-workers. After all, it wasn't often that the two of them spent the day cooped up in their offices together. And she wasn't afraid to admit that she had been pushed to some rather desperate measures in an attempt to get herself out of this whole mess.

She had begged Kingsley to change his mind but the man had outright refused. He had barely even considered what she had to say before shooing her out of his office. And she had been practically kissing Phineas' wrinkled arse. She had been so sure that there was _something_ she could do to change his mind. But that damn fool had stuck to his bloody guns.

"Hermione?!" She had finally relented and agreed to meet Ginny and Harry for lunch.

She smiled widely at the couple before her. They had gotten engaged soon after the war and had married a year after that. And only two months ago, they had announced that they were expecting their first child.

She leapt from behind her desk and hugged the dark-haired man before turning to his wife. "Oh Gin! Look at your belly!" Ginny was proudly sporting a rather rounded abdomen.

"Well I _am_ four months along now. The only reason you're getting all excited is because I've barely seen you since I told you I was pregnant! Speaking of barely seeing you – you look bloody gorgeous!"

Mumbling her apologies and thanks, she pulled the giddy redhead into a warm embrace before grabbing her purse. She linked arms with Ginny and moved out of her office, leaving Harry to trail behind. She momentarily faltered in her steps as she saw Draco returning from lunch.

"Good afternoon Potters." He greeted curtly, getting two confused faces in return.

"Uh…hello Malfoy." Harry responded. Hermione stifled a giggle at the slack-jawed expression on Ginny's face as she rather inelegantly stared at the man.

"Where are you off to, Hermione?"

Hermione felt her cheeks heat up as he said her name. It was the time he had acted like this in front of either of their friends. "Just going to lunch with Gin and Harry. I haven't seen them in far too long." She replied courteously.

He flashed a brilliant smile at the three friends. A genuine, civilised smile. "Well, have a good time. Congrats on the baby, Ginevra…Harry."

And with that he was gone, leaving a rather flabbergasted trio in his wake.

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**A/N: Review my lovelies!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: not mine!**

**A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed! This chapter was a bit of a struggle for me to write. Please let me know! Just so you all know, I have exams coming up in the two weeks so I might not be able to update for a little while.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 03**

"Bloody hell! What was that about?" Harry exclaimed as he practically threw himself into the only available booth at the Three Broomsticks moments after Apparating into the establishment. The lunch crowd was at its peak, the room bustling with people.

Ginny was smiling with a wistful gaze, one that could rival that of Luna Lovegood. "I think it's wonderful!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at his wife. "You've got to be joking, right?"

Her glee ended abruptly as her eyes prickled with tears. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Harry! Must you be so heartless?"

Hermione stifled a giggle at her overly-emotional, hormonal friend. "Calm down, Gin. It's alright. I think it's a good thing too." She reassured her, patting her on the back. "Really, Harry? Haven't you learnt to never disagree with a pregnant woman?"

The girls erupted into a fit of giggles as the dark-haired man glared at them. "Ugh I know better than to argue with you." He rolled his eyes before excusing himself to the bathroom.

Ginny took the time to scrutinise the woman sitting beside her, a wide smile growing on her face. "So Mione, what's with the makeover?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, tucking a strand of her now-soft curls behind her ear. "I don't know. I just felt like a change, you know?"

Ginny squealed knowingly, elbowing Hermione rather harshly in her excitement. "Sorry…" She had the decency to mumble before she yet again exploded with curiosity. "Is there a man in your life, Mione?!"

Hermione felt her face burn as a bright flush rose to her cheeks. "Wh- I don't…NO…"

"Mione."

"No!"

"Mione…"

"NO!"

"Harry's on his way back here. I can keep asking in front of him."

"Fine! Yes…but just leave it at that. You'll find out at the ball."

The redheaded woman merely gave her friend a knowing smile as her husband approached the table.

* * *

Hermione stormed back into the office in a state. After Harry had returned to the office, she had been interrogated with some rather personal and probing questions. Ginny had rattled off question after question, trying to get as much information about Hermione's 'mysterious man' as possible, as she called him. And Hermione was _not_ happy.

Draco's eye raised as she stormed past his office and slammed her office door behind her.

With a heavy sigh, he made his way to her office and knocked on her door. "Come in."

"Oh bloody hell, Malfoy. What do you want?"

Hermione had practically thrown herself into her chair, having tossed her robes over the back of her chair. His eyes widened momentarily before his face returned to its usual stoic state. He couldn't quite believe what she wore under those plain robes of hers. Her mustard yellow button-up shirt was unbuttoned enough so that he could see the appealing curve of her chest, tucked into a slim-fitting black skirt.

He should never have let Pierre make over her wardrobe.

"Well, it looked like your little lunch didn't go so well. And it's Draco."

"What?" She hissed, rubbing her temples with frustration.

"My name is Draco – we need to get accustomed to using each other's first names, remember?"

Hermione sighed, sitting up in her plush chair. "I'm sorry. Lunch was fine."

Letting out a bark of laughter, he perched himself on the edge of her desk. "Now we both know that's a lie. You stormed in like someone had set fire to your robes."

"Lunch _was _fine. Ginny figured out that my makeover was because of a new relationship. Given that the ball is in a week, I couldn't deny it. And even though I told her she find out who then, she spent an hour pestering me for details. And I had nothing to tell her! It was horrendously awkward!"

She frowned as Draco didn't bother to hide his amused chuckle.

"It's not funny, _Draco_! She was asking about our sex life! She wanted every single damned detail!"

His chuckle had morphed into a full laugh at this. "Just tell her we haven't had sex yet. I'm sure you're enough of a prude that she'd believe you."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she huffed with indignation. "I'm going to let that pass for the sake of this conversation." She muttered, glaring at her supposed boyfriend. "And for your information, she wouldn't have believed it – I've had sex before.

She wasn't quite sure why she had felt the need to defend herself. She had never quite cared what Draco thought of her. But for some reason, she felt as though she had to validate herself.

"I'm sure you have, Hermione."

"Thanks for the sarcasm. But I assure you, I haven't been a virgin since 5th year. I'm sure that something you'd know as my boyfriend."

Draco choked on the small amount of saliva that had collected in his mouth. "What? 5th year?"

"Yeah."

"Who? How?!" He spluttered, thumping a fist over his sternum.

"A childhood friend from home. Should I go into more detail?" She was sitting comfortably, amusedly watching as Draco grew increasingly flustered. "Well, it was a rather cold night and Matthew and I had gone camp-"

"No!" Draco yelled, jumping up from his spot on her desk. He grimaced as she burst into laughter, boldly smirking at him. "Was any of that true?"

She laughed lightly. He stubbornly ignored the way his stomach flipped at her musical laughter, inwardly cursing himself. "Apart from the last sentence, yes. Now…if I've sated your curiosity, can we please be serious for a moment?"

He nodded and awkwardly learnt back against the edge of her desk.

"As I was trying to explain to you, we need to figure this out. If we've been supposedly dating for a year, we'd know all these things about each other that we simply don't! And we would have…" She paused momentarily, regretting the blush that was rising to her cheeks. "We would have _done_ stuff."

It was Draco's turn to smirk at the woman in front of him. "I suppose we would have. Want to practice, Granger?"

He ducked just in time, as a small empty inkpot flew where his head had just been and hit the wall behind him. "Sod off, Draco."

He chuckled lightly, moving towards her door. "We'll go by your place after work today and discuss everything."

* * *

Hermione leant against his doorway, arms tucked into her skirt pockets. "Are you ready to go?"

Draco looked up, surprise flitting past his eyes. He glanced at the clock against the wall, finally taking note of the time. "Oh shit. Sorry – I didn't realise what time it was. Give me a second."

He quickly gathered his wand and some paperwork before following her to the atrium. Hermione turned back towards him, extending her hand and looking at him expectantly. "What?"

"We need to Floo to my place and my wards aren't going to let you in without me. I'll adjust them when we're there."

"Yes. Right. Sorry."

Draco flinched as he apologised to her for the second time in only a few minutes, hesitantly moving closer to her so that she could grasp his arm.

"Granger Apartment!"

He felt that familiar churning feeling as they entered the fireplace, keeping his eyes firmly shut to ensure he didn't become dizzy. As he felt his feet return to solid ground, he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.

He noticed with surprise that her apartment was rather stylish. A mixture of wooden and plush beige furniture sat on the dark wood floors, accentuated with pale blue chevron cushions. Unsurprisingly there was an expansive bookshelf, nearly overflowing with both large educational tomes and paperback novels, many of which had clearly been read time and time again. The walls were covered with a combination of Muggle and Wizarding photos, each picture practically resonating with love and happiness.

Draco glanced to his left, noticing Hermione watching him. "Nice place."

Her face broke out into a smile as she hung her robes on a nearby hook and placed her bag on an armchair. "Right. Make yourself at home and I'll get us some tea."

She disappeared behind an elegant black door that contrasted nicely against the off-white walls. He placed his robes beside hers and awkwardly lowered himself into the couch. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine sitting in Hermione Granger's living room as she made them tea.

Hermione made her way back into the room, levitating a tray of tea and scones behind her. "Call me old fashioned but I was raised to _always_ feed my guests."

He simply nodded at her, the deep grumble in his stomach speaking volumes as he reached for a scone and smothered it with strawberry jam.

"So tell me, Draco. Apart from the delightful story of your one-night-stand stalker, what else should I know about your love life?"

Draco snorted at her description, allowing himself to swallow a mouthful before answering. "There hasn't been much of a love life. Just…well, just one night stands. My longest relationship was only 3 months."

"Only 3 months?!" She asked incredulously.

"I don't know why you're surprised. You know how unbelievably vapid most wealthy Pureblood women are and for some reason, my mother is obsessed with setting me up on dates with them. I just couldn't stand the girl."

Hermione choked on her tea as she unsuccessfully tried to stifle a chuckle. "I never thought I'd see the day you admitted it."

"What about you – apart from your ridiculously publicised relationship with Weasley?

Hermione set her cup on the coffee table in front of her. "After Ron, I went on a few dates with a guy that was a couple of years ahead of us at Hogwarts."

"And?"

She sighed as she stared down at her hands that were now nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt. "And then Ron happened. He couldn't cope with the fact that we're over and he became really possessive and jealous. He followed us everywhere and even went as far as to threaten Josh. It became impossible for us to even think about a relationship, you know?"

A heavy silence fell between them as Draco mulled over her words. He cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "Wow. Is he still like that?"

Hermione glanced up to meet his gaze, startled to see genuine interest and concern in his eyes. "Ginny was incredibly mad at him and warned him to leave me be, as did Harry. But I haven't gone on a date since."

"Wow…" Draco repeated before another silence filled the room.

Hermione let out a soft bark of laughter before reaching for her cup again. "Yeah…so tell me about your family."

"Not at all what you would expect."

She raised an eyebrow at that as he smirked at her. "What do you mean?"

Draco leant forward, leaning his forearms on his knees.

"The war changed everything, Hermione. My mother was never a strong supporter of Voldemort and all of his ambitions. But it was her role as a high-society Pureblood wife to stand by and support my father."

She opened her mouth but was silenced by him raising his hand.

"And we all know what my father was like – I mean, you experienced it yourself. But the war shook him. He had been doing exactly what he was raised to do, only to find out that everything was a lie. Not only was Voldemort a hypocrite, being a Halfblood, but he had no sense of loyalty to his followers. Before the final battle, my father had already begun to question everything he had been taught. He saw that your blood was just a red and free-flowing at mine – not murky and sluggish like we had been taught to believe. He saw the way that Voldemort used me in our sixth year, without any concern for my safety."

Draco paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And then, the way you all recognised what my mother had done in telling Voldemort that Potter was dead. The way you all gave us a second chance, an opportunity to make up for our transgressions. Look it's hard to explain – but he's not the same man anymore."

Hermione nodded, letting a comfortable silence fill the room.

* * *

"So where the hell are you running off to? We barely finished eating."

Draco threw back his tumbler of Firewhiskey before glancing over to his two friends, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. They were both watching expectantly as he placed his glass back on the table.

"Shit. I left some paperwork at H-…at the Ministry."

"So? Just get it tomorrow. They're safe at the Ministry." Blaise asked, raising a eyebrow at the blonde man standing in front of him.

"Well I can't just leave them there!"

Theo leant forward, placing his arms on the table in front of him. "What? On your desk?"

"Wh-no! They're not on my desk. Just…I just need to get them, okay?"

The two men eyed Draco suspiciously as he became increasingly flustered. "Talk about shifty. Who is she?"

Draco spluttered momentarily, before meeting Theo's gaze with a glare. "Who is _who_? I need to get my damned paperwork!"

Blaise and Theo watched him with interest as he spun on his heel as stormed to the fireplace and disappeared into the flickering green flames.

"Definitely a girl."

* * *

Draco stumbled out of the fireplace, dusting his robes as he caught his footing, wincing at the loud music that attacked him. An overwhelming bass beat thudded through the air, an unintelligible male voice mumbling over the music.

He glanced around in confusing, his eyes widening at the enticing site in front of him. The slim brunette was wearing a mere pair of incredibly short, wonderfully tight-fitting denim shorts that showed off her bare, toned legs and a flimsy white tank top that clung to her frame. She was facing away from him, her hips enticingly swaying in time with the music.

_Baby boy you stay on my mind_

_Fulfill my fantasies_

_I think about you all the time_

_I see you in my dreams_

He gulped as his mind processed each word, his eyes glued to the twirl of her perfectly rounded backside. His mouth dried as she slowly turned on the spot.

_Baby boy not a day goes by_

_Without my fantasies_

_I think about you all the time_

_I see you in my dreams_

Her eyes were gently closed as her hips moved, each beat accentuated by every tantalising movement. His stomach erupted in butterflies as arousal spread through his body. Her hands ran up her body to tangle themselves in her unruly curls as her body whirled like a cyclone.

_Picture us dancin' real close_

_In a dark corner of a basement party_

_Every time I close my eyes_

_It's like everyone left but you and me_

_In our own little world_

_The music is the sun_

_The dancefloor becomes the sea_

_Feels like true paradise to me_

Draco clenched his teeth as his trousers tightened against him and his hands grew increasingly clammy. His eyes were fixated on the lacy emerald bra that was visible through her fairly insubstantial top. He tried to steady himself, unable to think clearly as he watched her every enticing move.

_Baby boy you stay on my mind_

_Fulfill my fantasies_

_I think about you all the time_

_I see you in my dreams_

_Baby boy not a day goes by_

_Without my fantasies_

_I think about you all the time_

_I see you in my dreams_

Before he could even understand what was happening, his feet were moving him in her direction. His arms moved out in front of him as he grasped her hips and pushed her against the wall behind her. She gasped with shock as her eyes shot open.

He paused for a moment, carefully reading her for any unwillingness. He searched her dark eyes, rewarded by the desire that burnt in her eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, his lips crashed into hers as he closed the gap between their bodies. One of his hands reached up to cup her cheek as the other arm snaked around her waist.

He groaned against her lips as she raked her hands up her body and laced her fingers in his hair. He ran his tongue along her lower lip, relishing in the moan that rumbled in her throat as she parted her lips. Their tongues battled for dominance as she pulled at his hair, his desire growing with each frantic kiss.

His hands moved to the back of her thighs as he lifted her into his arms. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands moving his chest. His hands grasped at her arse urgently, as her fingers deftly began undoing his shirt buttons.

He pressed their hips together and his lips found the nape of her neck. Hermione gasped with pleasure as he nibbled at her skin, his body shuddering as her nails ran down his bare chest.

'Meow!'

Startled, Draco pulled his lips away from her supple skin, turning to face the small black and white Kneazle.

"Cleo!"

Hermione gasped, unwrapping her legs from his waist. He unceremoniously dropped her from his arms, stumbling away from her. Her hands were clasped over her mouth as she stared at him in surprise.

"Wh-I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

**A/N: Please read and review! I'm not good with smut/lemons/passion so please let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I firstly want to apologise to those who read the last chapter before I fixed up the page breaks. I keep putting asterisks and lines in my documents but they disappear whenever I upload the chapter! I tried using 'XXXXX' for this chapter – hopefully it works!**

**Thank you to those who reviewed! I've never written a remotely passionate scene – so thank you for your support – hopefully I did it some justice. Thanks especially to LadiePhoenix007 who has been faithfully reviewing my work! It is so very much appreciated.**

**I'm also going to try to add in better timelines; let me know what you think.**

**Please read and review! Review = love!**

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**Chapter 4**

**Monday, April 26****th**** 2004 – 9:00pm**

**Apartment of Hermione Granger**

Hermione stood frozen, her hands clasped over her mouth. What the _hell_ had just happened? Her flimsy top was haphazardly bunched up so that the soft flat expanse of her stomach was visible and her hair was wonderfully ruffled. She ran a finger over her swollen lips, revelling in the light twinge of pain that tingled at the touch.

'Oh dear Merlin.'

She had just thoroughly kissed Draco Malfoy. Well, if she was being completely fair, _he_ had thoroughly kissed her – he had initiated it. What the hell had he been doing in her apartment anyway?

Grasping her wand from the nearby tabletop, she quickly silenced the pulsating music. Her heart was pounding, seeming to only get stronger as her mind flitted to the moments before. Angrily throwing herself on the couch, she covered her face with horror. Her body most definitely should _not_ have reacted to bloody Draco Malfoy like that.

The way that he had desperately clung to her buttocks. The ferocity with which he had explored every inch of her mouth. The way he had devoured the skin above her erratic pulse. The way his powerful body had pressed against hers, trembling with pleasure. The way his manliness had gratifyingly pressed against her core.

With a horrified squeal, she felt heat burning through her body at the mere thought of his attention. It was wrong. It was terribly wrong.

And yet, Godric, it had felt so good.

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**Monday, April 26****th**** 2004 – 9:05pm**

**Apartment of Draco Malfoy**

Draco Malfoy was pacing circles. In fact, he hadn't stopped pacing since he had Flooed to his apartment. What the hell had he just done?!

He had just bloody well snogged Hermione Granger, that's what. He had practically _pounced_ on the woman and _ravished_ her. And Merlin, he had loved every single second of it. What the hell was wrong with him?!

But the way that woman had moved, the way her body had swayed and gyrated – he really could not be held accountable for his actions.

Running a hand through his hair, he closed his eyes. He let out a soft moan as he almost felt her nimble fingers clutching to his hair. He felt his manhood twitch as he remembered the way her nails had grazed his chest. And that damn heat that had emanated from her with her legs wrapped around his waist…oh dear Merlin and Morgana. That woman was bewitching.

Bloody hell. He needed a cold shower.

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**Tuesday, April 27****th**** 2004 – 8:23am**

**Apartment of Hermione Granger**

She was acting like an idiot teenager.

There was no doubt about it and Hermione knew much better than to try and deny it. She was preening in front of the mirror like a boy-obsessed fifteen year old girl. She was acting like bloody Romilda Vane, for Merlin's sake.

She had barely slept that night before, her mind and body tortured with lascivious thoughts of Draco Malfoy. It probably hadn't helped that she hadn't been touched by a man like that since…well since Ron. And if she were being truly honest with herself, it had never been quite like that. No, Draco Malfoy clearly knew how to make a woman squirm. Having given up on sleep when the sun started peeking through her curtains, she had tried to calm her jittering nerves with a long soak in the bath.

It had not helped.

At all.

No. Each time she allowed her eyes to close and mind drift, she had seen the image of a well-built, very naked Draco Malfoy joining her in all his splendid glory. If what she had felt last night were anything to go buy, all those rumours at Hogwarts regarding Draco's _manliness_ were most definitely true.

And now here she was – ready for work after having spent far too long on making sure she looked her very best.

She was wearing a royal blue capped-sleeve dress that whilst modest, hugged her curves in the right way. Her hair was pinned back, pulled back so that her curls softly cascaded down her back. And she had taken the time to apply a little more makeup than her usual basic eyeliner.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Thoroughly ravished by a man for the first time in nearly two years and she was going out of her mind.

With a loud sigh, she resigned to the fact that her body had responded to Draco Malfoy more than she had ever responded to a man before. She pushed that thought out of her mind, impatiently rubbing at her temples before making her way to work.

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**Tuesday, April 27****th**** 2004 – 8:30am**

**Ministry of Magic**

Draco froze momentarily, his nerves erupting through his body, as he heard Hermione enter her office. After – ahem – taking care of himself the night before, he had come to a rather firm decision. He was a man. She was a bloody delectable woman. And last night had happened on a whim.

In a matter of days, Hermione and he were to publicise their relationship – they would most definitely have to discuss last night at some point. Taking a few deep breaths, he steeled himself for what he was sure was going to be an awkward conversation. Slowly but purposefully, he opened his door, letting out a little yelp at the man who stood in front of him.

"Bloody hell, Symonds!" He gasped, coming to an abrupt halt just in front of the man.

"Sorry Draco. Bit jumpy there, aren't you?"

The tall brunette man smiled cheekily at him, casually rocking back on his feet. Though Mitchell Symonds had been in Ravenclaw the year below him, they had never spoken to each other during their Hogwarts' days. Having met on Mitchell's first day within the team, they had quickly become rather friendly.

Rubbing a hand over his weary eyes, Draco eyed his friend suspiciously. "What do you want Mitch? It's too early."

Mitchell raised an eyebrow at him, waving a hand in front of his glazed eyes. "Earth to Malfoy. We have that follow up meeting for the Annual War Orphans Fundraiser." He stated, his sentence sounding more like a question than a statement.

Letting out a frustrated groan, he turned back to his desk to grab a fairly bulky folder. The fundraiser was a yearly project that had been assigned to Mitchell, Hermione and himself last year. After a failed meeting two months prior, they had agreed to take the time to ponder over their ideas and reconvene at a later date – today apparently.

Draco could feel his heart race as Mitchell rapped on Hermione's office door.

"C-come in." His stomach flipped as he heard her timid voice call out. Dear Merlin – small flashes of her petite body pressed against his jumped out at him at the mere sound of her voice. As Mitchell reached out to open the door, Draco felt the fleeting urge to turn and bolt. He blindly followed Mitchell into the room, stumbling as his eyes fell upon the woman.

Oh sweet Circe – this woman was irresistible.

Her dress was practically _painted_ onto her body, clutching to the subtle curves of her hips. Though not offensively low-cut, he could see just enough of her ample breasts to make his groin stir. And those supple, muscular legs that had so wonderfully clung to his body last night…they were bloody perfect.

She turned towards her desk and Draco had to force himself to _not_ moan at the sight of her delightfully round arse in that dress. Her hair lightly swayed with the movement, revealing the perfect curve of her neck. He felt his pants tighten against him at the sight of a small bruise at the nape of her neck.

'Mine.'

The thought possessively flitted through his mind as she turned back towards them.

"Holy shit, Mione. Look at you!" Mitchell exclaimed, playfully waggling his eyebrows at the sight.

Draco almost growled at his friend, jealousy coursing through his body. Hermione felt her breath hitch as he hungrily ravaged her body with his eyes.

This meeting was going to be hell.

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**Tuesday, April 27****th**** 2004 – 11:18am**

**Ministry of Magic – Office of Hermione Granger**

Mitchell sighed wearily as their meeting finally came to an end. After many disagreements and squabbles, they had finally come to some agreements regarding the fundraiser. And their plans were ready to be set in motion.

"Well that settles it – I'm going down to the Atrium for a coffee. Care to join?" Both Hermione and Draco shook their heads politely as he rose from his chair. "Right then. I'll catch you later."

And with that he was gone, leaving Hermione and Draco on their own. The room was full of silence, bar the awkward shuffling of papers. Hermione did everything in her power to avoid meeting his eyes, nervously rearranging the items on her desk.

"Granger."

Her head shot up at his voice. He felt his manhood twitch again as she nervously nibbled on her lower lip. She was going to be the end of him.

"We need to talk."

He felt a pit forming in his stomach as her cheeks quickly rouged as she merely nodded in response.

"Do you regret it?"

Her bottom lip fell from the grasp of her teeth as she mulled over his question.

"N-no. I don't think so."

Draco couldn't help but chuckle at her hesitant answer. "You don't think so? You either don't or you do."

She tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, a beautiful smile blossoming over her features. "I suppose I don't then. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't enjoy it." She paused momentarily before continuing. "Because I most definitely did."

He felt his throat dry at her candour, a light smirk rising to his lips.

"Do you?"

His face broke into a teasing grin as he leant forward in his seat. "On the contrary, I thoroughly enjoyed it."

Her cheeks were now a deep red colour, her chest rising as her breathing deepened. Her papers fluttered to the ground as her hands fumbled. With a little gasp of surprise, she jumped out of her chair and bent forward to pick them up.

His eyes were fixated on her chest as she bent over, the neckline of her dress gaping slightly to reveal inviting enticing black lace of her bra. A deep groan escaped his throat and every rational thought fled his mind.

For the second time in just over a half day, Draco found his body moving towards hers of its own accord. Grabbing her shoulders, he spun her around and pressed her against the desk, his lips crashing against hers within seconds. He was rewarded with a soft moan erupting from her lips.

She shuffled her bum along the desk so that she was perched on the edge, her lips hungrily devouring his. His left hand ran to the back of her neck, his fingers tangling into her soft curls, as his other hand frantically grasped her hip. He let out a guttural groan as she nipped at his lower lip, his arousal growing with each ministration. Her hands desperately clutched at his shirt collar, pulling him as close to her as possible. Her body shuddered as Draco's lips moved to her neck, sucking and nibbling at her creamy skin. His knee nudged between her legs and she willingly parted them, the skirt of her dress rising along her thighs. He pressed himself flush against her, revelling in her light gasp at the contact.

He could feel a delightful warmth emanating from her as she pulled him even closer with her legs. He daringly let his hand fall from her neck, lightly running his fingers over her exposed collarbone. Hermione drew in a slow deep breath, her skin erupting in small goose bumps. His fingers ran down the gentle curve of her breast, tracing the lacy edge of her bra. Her legs tightened, pressing his groin even closer to hers as they both moaned with gratification.

"You're fucking perfect." He whispered against her neck.

Hermione grabbed his head with both hands, pressing her lips against his. She teased his lip with her tongue, shuddering in pleasure as their tongues began a sensual dance. His hands briefly teased her edge of her bra before urgently grasping her breast in his hand.

"Yesss." She hissed, arching her back to press herself into his hand even more.

Draco could feel himself straining against his trousers, crying for attention as her body writhed against his. He needed to stop before there was no going back.

Grasping her lower lip between his lips, he slowly drew away, earning a hum of disappointment from the brunette. Letting his fingers linger over her bare thigh, he rested his forehead against hers. Her eyes had darkened with lust, small puffs of breath teasing his tingling lips.

Hermione stole a glance at his eyes. His eyes had become a stormy grey colour, his arousal evident in the way he stared at her heaving chest.

Oh dear Merlin, what were they doing?

Gently placing her hands flat against his chest, she pushed him away and slid off the desk. Flattening her dress and awkwardly clearing her throat, she moved so that the desk was standing between them.

"Granger…"

"Hermione." She interrupted, busying herself by filing away the mounds of paperwork that sat on her shelf.

"What?"

"Hermione. I'm not okay with you pouncing on me like that and then calling me by my last name."

Draco stared at her blankly, opening and closing his mouth like a fish gasping for air. "Wh-I'm sorry?"

Hermione chuckled at him. "Was that a question or a statement?"

She couldn't help but be amused at the bewildered expression on his face. He was thoroughly confused by her sudden boldness. "A-wh-statement." He flustered his way through his rather pathetic response.

Draco frowned as she smirked at him – a smirk that could have given him a run for his money. 'What the hell is happening?' He wondered, puzzled by her sudden change in demeanour.

Hermione took a deep breath in – after having mulled over their situation through the night, she had come to a steady decision. She was more than okay with whatever was physically happening between them; she was only uncomfortable with the fact that he was nearly a stranger. Sure, they had been acquainted with each other for over ten years, but they didn't really _know_ each other. She didn't even know his favourite colour or middle name – for crying out loud.

"Look Mal-Draco. I'm not going to pretend that I'm not enjoying _this_," She explained, pointing from herself to him and back again. But I don't know anything about you! Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a prude – but I'm not one of those girls you're used to either. I don't mess around with complete strangers."

His eyebrows furrowed together at her words, hands emphatically flinging in the air with his words. "Complete strangers? I've known you since we were twelve!"

"So you think you know me? What are my parent's names? Am I an only child? What is my middle name? When is my birthday?" She retorted, her voice increasing in volume with each question. "Surely you should know _that_ if you've known me for so long! I mean we only lived in the same place for seven years! _When_ is my birthday, Draco?"

He stared at her in silence, his gaze flickering from her expressive hands to her defiant eyes. She was right – he knew absolutely nothing about her. But then again, she didn't know anything about him. Did she?

"Right back at you, _Hermione_." He sneered, crossly folding his arms in front of his chest.

She let out a short bark of laughter, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him. "Your parents are Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy – but everyone knows that. You're obviously an only child. Your middle name is Lucius – very creative, by the way. And your birthday is June 5th. I'm not oblivious to the world around me, unlike you."

"And for bonus points," She added sarcastically. "You rode a Comet 260 in first year and a Nimbus 2001 from then on."

And yet again he gaped at her, completely lost for words. The first few were easy enough, he reasoned, but the brooms he used at school…well he'd never have expected her to know that.

"Well congratulations Hermione. As always, you have all the answers. It does help that I'm from a prominent background – nearly everyone knows those things about me."

Hermione snorted derisively. "And nearly everyone knows those things about _me_ as well. I'm featured on a Chocolate Frog card and I've seen the way you gobble _those_ down when you think no one can see you."

She moved around the desk, placing a soft hand on his shoulder as she started to jostle him towards the door. Opening it, she gave him a light shove so that he was now on the other side of the threshold. "Well if that's all for now, I have a few things to organise."

And with that, her door slammed shut in his face. With a growl of frustration, he grabbed the doorknob and found that it was now locked.

"Granger!" He yelled, harshly knocking on the door.

He heard a light chuckle from inside the room before her voice called out. "Busy!"

He rose his fist to continue his assault on the door, pausing as he noticed the odd stares he was receiving from his coworkers. Flashing a threatening sneer at them, he spun on his heel and stormed into his office, slamming his door behind him.

The first thing he did was wrench his second desk drawer open and rummage through it until he found what he was looking for. Tightly grasping the small card, he slumped into his seat and read over it.

_Hermione Jean Granger_

_DOB: 19 September 1979_

_Awards: Order of Merlin, First Class_

_Hermione Granger was born in Kensington to Muggle dentists, Drs William and Elizabeth Granger. From her first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hermione excelled in her academic work, impressing all of her professors. She soon became friends with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, leading them through the many adventures they experienced at the hands of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. _

_Her bravery, intelligence and immense Magical skill was demonstrated time and time again as she fought against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his Death Eaters. It is widely believed that without her contribution, the Second Wizarding War may have ravaged on for much longer than it did._

_Having read through Hogwarts: A History many times over, she dedicated a great deal of her time to the restoration of Hogwarts after the war. She returned to Hogwarts to complete her final year after the war, achieving an Outstanding grade in all of her 9 subjects._

_Epitomised by grace, determination and loyalty, Hermione Granger is quite easily the greatest witch of her generation._

Apparently she hadn't been lying – everything she had asked was written for all to know on the blasted card. Was he really that oblivious to the world around him? With a resigned chuckle, he admitted to himself that yes, perhaps, he was just _that_ wrapped up in himself. And she had had the gall to let him know just that.

Shaking his head, he reached for his nearby quill, not quite believing what he was about to do.

_Hermione,_

_I'm sorry to say that you were absolutely correct. I know nothing about you, and that is something that I would like to amend. If not for me, it needs to at least be amended for the ball this Sunday._

_Please accept my invitation for dinner tonight at Constellation Restaurant in Clapham – I believe they have private dining rooms. Does 7pm suit you?_

_Draco._

He took in a deep breath before flicking his wand and sending the note to her office. Dear Circe, what was he doing?

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**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! Please let me know if the page-breaks didn't work (again!) and if you like the defined timelines. Thank you! **

**And remember, reviews make me happy!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it! I've finished my exams so that is one massive relief. I only have two weeks off though before I'm back at the hospital and studying fulltime AND I'm going away for a few days to visit my greataunt. I will try to update as much as possible!**

**LadiePhoenix007 – I'm glad you're liking the 'heat' between Draco and Hermione. I'm not the best at writing this stuff; for some reason I get awkward haha. But I'll try to keep it up and maybe you can help me!**

**fantasia-49 – thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying their chemistry!**

**Boogalee99 – thanks! I like writing a sort of stoic/stand-off Draco who is a bit hesitant and sweet deep down. **

**Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad you guys like the defined timeline. I'll go back and add them to the other chapters.**

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**Chapter 5**

**Tuesday, April 27 2004 – 6:56pm**

**Apartment of Hermione Granger**

Here she was again – bloody preening in front of the mirror for Draco Malfoy. Clearly pigs had sprouted wings and the world was coming to an end. If anyone had told her she would be going out for dinner with the blonde ex-Slytherin last year, she would have hexed them nine ways to hell. This had to be joke, right?

Wrong.

She had tentatively agreed to spend the evening with Draco at Constellation, an exclusive new restaurant in Wizarding London that was notoriously booked out for the next few months. How Draco Malfoy would get a table, she had no idea – but then again, she was sure that the owners would jump through hoops to accommodate _the_ Draco Malfoy.

She took a step back from the mirror, giving herself a few moments to scrutinise her reflection. She had somehow managed to do a good job with her hair, having piled it in a perfectly messy bun to properly showcase her dress. The black dress had been bought at Ginny's insistence. The well-fitted bodice had a V-shaped neck, both on the front and back, and was intricately embellished with delicate bead-work. The sheer skirt overlay flowed from her waist in a feminine, prom-dress style.

Her outfit was accented with a silver clutch and matching strappy heels. Her elegant diamond-adorned bracelet and matching drop earrings had been a graduation gift from her parents. Her necklace was simple; a delicate silver chain with a tear-shaped diamond pendant. Now, Hermione had never been a materialistic, egotistical woman, but even she had to admit, she looked wonderful. She glanced at the letter on her bedside table, a Portkey that would activate at exactly 7pm.

Seven soft chimes rung from her living room, alerting her to the fact that it was time to leave. Taking a few deep breaths, she quickly made her way to the small table and grasped the paper.

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**Tuesday, April 27 2004 – 7:01pm**

**Constellation Restaurant; Private Dining Room 2**

Hermione felt her feet settle on the plush carpet of their private dining room. And in that moment, her efforts were very well rewarded. Draco was casually seated at the table, his eyes nearly doubled in size as his gaze settled on her. His mouth became dry as he involuntarily gulped at the vision in front of him.

"Wow."

The word slipped out before he could even register what was happening. Her cheeks rouged as she tentatively tucked a stray curl of hair behind her ear, her eyes roaming over the man standing in her living room. He was simply dressed in a pair of black dress pants and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up with a delicate grey edging. His hair was almost perfectly tousled, as if he had spent hours in front of the mirror carefully styling it. Oh, he was definitely a handsome man.

Snapping out of his daze, he jumped to his feet and pulled out her chair. 'What a gentleman.' She thought somewhat sarcastically, her mind flicking to their encounters at Hogwarts.

Their waiter promptly appeared, flashing a flirtatious smile in Hermione's direction. Draco glared at the man, clearing his throat as warning to the man to back the hell off his date. 'Whoa. Date? Where did that come from?' He thought, almost shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He ordered an expensive bottle of red wine and a serving of bruschetta for the pair before they went on to order their main meals.

The waiter left the room, leaving the pair in momentary silence.

"I wanted to apologise. You were right in saying I know nothing about you, and you're probably right in saying I didn't notice much outside of myself." He smiled cheekily at her at the end of his sentence, pouring the wine that had appeared on their table. "Please…tell me about yourself, aside from what I can find on a Chocolate Frog card."

Hermione chuckled, taking a sip of her wine, revelling in the aromatic taste. "That's a bit of a broad topic. As you obviously know, I love reading." She stared at him as he snorted at her statement. "No, seriously. Obviously I've read my fair share of textbooks and informative books but my true passion are Muggle crime novels."

His face twisted in confusion. "What are they?"

Hermione cocked her head to a side, smiling at him in amusement. "Crime novels…you know, stories about serial killers, thefts and…well, crime. They're unbelievably fascinating – Muggles have developed the most amazing ways to analyse evidence! I mean, to be able to evaluate a person's fingerprint and DNA, and to be able to narrow that down to one single person…it's just absolutely brilliant! The way that the most apparently insignificant piece of evidence can be the difference between apprehending a criminal and coming to a dead-end. I just think-"

Draco tuned out; her words made no sense to him whatsoever anyway. He had never seen someone talk about something of substance so passionately – he had only ever seen Pansy get thoroughly excited about shopping or some other rubbish. But Hermione – the way her eyes were sparking with excitement and her hands animatedly gestured – was positively mesmerising.

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**Tuesday, April 27 2004 – 9:16pm**

**Constellation Restaurant; Private Dining Room 2**

Hermione sat back in her chair with satisfaction as her now empty dinner plate disappeared from the table. The food had been absolutely divine. And the conversation had been surprisingly free-flowing. She had been surprised to find out that he had somewhat of a truce with none other than George Weasley, having invested a rather hefty sum of money into opening a second branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. That little piece of information had been a pleasant surprise.

The pair had talked about all sorts of things from their hobbies to their most treasured childhood memories (her more so than him) to their 'favourites'. She had giggled uncontrollably when he had revealed his favourite colour to be teal. He had pouted at her reaction, thoroughly discouraged by her amusement. But really, what kind of self-proclaimed manly man referred to anything as _teal_? As far as she knew, Harry had never even heard of the colour.

Draco smiled warmly at her, pouring the remnants of the wine into his glass. "I always wished I had a brother or sister. It would have been nice, you know?" He frowned as her delightful smile vanished. "What is it?" She looked surprised to hear the concern in his voice. If he was being honest, he was rather surprised too.

She let out a slow sigh as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I had a sister." She had said it so softly that he wondered if she had said it at all. But he had definitely heard it.

"What?"

She smiled sadly at him, her eyes suddenly glistening with moisture. "She died when she was only 3." Her arms rested on the table as her fingers toyed with the edge of her napkin.

Draco frowned at the evident grief in her eyes. He leant forward, placing a comforting hand over her fidgeting fingers. "Hermione, it's okay. You don't need to talk about it."

She let out a small sigh. "All my life, I've avoided having to mention it. But if the war taught me only one thing, it was that talking is the best way to deal with grief. And besides, it is something you would most definitely know about me after a year of dating." She reasoned with a meek smile. He nodded in response, giving her the space to continue at her own pace. She took a large gulp of wine to steady her nerves before resting her hand back on the table.

"I was 4 and a half when Calliope was born. As you can tell, my parents always liked unique names." She mused, giving him a weak chuckle. "As soon as she could respond to me, we were inseparable. Despite the age difference, she was my best friend. The first thing I wanted to do when I came home from school was to give her a hug and play. And every single day, she would be waiting for me in the hallway when I arrived. She would always try to copy everything I did – it used to drive me insane, but Mum always said it was only because she wanted to be just like me. Every Sunday afternoon, we'd go to the park with Mum and Dad and feed the ducks. We'd spend hours on the play equipment with the neighbourhood kids before coming home to a home-cooked roast. It was so wonderful, you know?"

Draco simply smiled at her. He didn't know – he had never experienced anything that resembled a normal family – but he could only imagine how wonderful it would have been.

"A few weeks before my 8th birthday, Callie was unwell. At first, she just had a bit of a fever and was tired, but in kids that happens with any form of illness. She started vomiting and after an hour or so, we took her to the hospital. She honestly didn't seem that bad but Mum and Dad just wanted to make sure. And then suddenly, everything went downhill. She started complaining of a sore neck and got more and more drowsy. And then-" She faltered as her voice cracked in anguish. "And then she started fitting. It was so horrible."

He gave her a moment to gather herself, his thumb soothingly tracing circles on the back of her hand. Her pain, the pain of losing someone so innocent and so loved, was clear for anyone to see.

"She was diagnosed with meningitis – it's when the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord become infected. By the time she had started fitting, it was too late. Her brain tissue had swollen as a result of the inflammation and she had irreversible brain damage. She was in hospital for two weeks before the doctors had exhausted all options. She was taken off the machines that were essentially keeping her alive and she passed away later than day. She died 8 days before my birthday."

Her voice had fallen to a desperate whisper as a single tear trickled down her cheek. Draco was at a loss for words, unable to even begin to comprehend the sorrow she felt. She slid her hand out from underneath his, lightly dabbing at the wet trail with her napkin.

"Hermione. I'm so sorry." He uttered. He could only hope that his eyes and voice conveyed the sincerity of his words.

She smiled gratefully at him, taking a slow deep breath to settle her emotions. "Thank you for listening." She whispered, earning a simple nod in reply. "If you'll excuse me, I'm just going to duck off to the bathroom to freshen up a little."

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**Wednesday, April 28****th**** 2004 – 10:13am**

**Apartment of Hermione Granger**

Hermione was curled up on her couch, surrounded by what seemed like mounds of paperwork. The rest of their dinner had passed without incident and Draco had been a perfect dinner companion, having insisted on paying for the meal and accompanying her back home. But the moment he had left, her façade had crumbled. Flashes of memories of Callie had flooded back and she had openly wept. In that moment, she had Owled Phineas to request the morning off.

But as much as she didn't want to admit it, simply talking about Callie for the first time in almost ten years had felt like a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She had revealed everything to Harry, Ron and Ginny in her fifth year and as wonderful as they had been, they had looked at her with such pity. She hadn't wanted their pity, just their understanding, and so she had resolved to never breech the subject with them again. Seeking comfort from her steaming mug of coffee, she turned her attention to the papers that quite literally surrounded her.

Twenty minutes later, her mug of coffee was empty and she was thoroughly engrossed in her work. She was startled from her concentration by the thundering sound of someone knocking on her door.

"Hermione! I know you're in there!"

She cringed at the sound of her ex-boyfriend's voice. Ron sounded enraged. After the stunt he had pulled with Josh, she had taken him off the list of people who could freely Floo into her apartment.

"Hermione! Open the fucking door!" He hollered, fists pounding on her door. She hurried to her door, hoping that he hadn't yet disturbed her neighbours. Throwing the door open, she scowled at the man as he stormed past her into her apartment.

"Hey Ron. Come on in." She muttered sarcastically, reluctantly closing the door behind her. She scolded herself mentally – she had promised Ginny that she'd try to be amiable. "How are you?"

"How am I?! How am I?!" He screeched as Hermione thanked Merlin for the soundproofing charms on her apartment. "What the hell is this?!" He demanded, his hands indicating to her body.

Hermione's face twisted in confusion. "What the hell are you on about, Ronald?" She asked, her hands angrily resting on her hips.

He stalked up to her, standing so close that she could feel his breath puffing against her face. "Never dressed up nice for me, did you Herm?" He hissed, using his individual pet-name for her that she had always hated. "And look at you now – dressing up like a whore and prancing around town."

She pushed him away from her, her face arranged into a stony glare. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

He thrust his hand forward, angrily clutching onto the Daily Prophet. She ripped it out of his hands and let her eyes wander over the short article in question.

_Spotted: War Heroine Dining with Mysterious Lover!_

_Written by Rita Skeeter_

_Imagine my delight, my darlings, when I received this photo last night from a source who did not want to be named. None other than our celebrated Hermione Granger was seen at the notorious hotspot Constellation Restaurant, slipping out of a private dining room on her way to the bathroom. As can be seen in the picture, she was wonderfully dolled up, something which we have hardly seen before. _

_We can only assume that she was dining with a special someone. Hermione had been in a widely-publicised relationship with classmate and close friend, Ronald Weasley, for the better part of three years before their love dwindled for reasons still unknown. _

_But the question remains: who was she with and why the secrecy? Will we ever find out?_

The article was preceded by an image of her walking through the restaurant last night. How had she not noticed the flash? How on earth had Skeeter managed to get the story out in only a few hours?

Ron growled angrily as he snatched the paper back from her. "Are you going to explain yourself?"

Hermione scoffed as threw her hands up indignantly. "Explain myself?! To you? Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because you're mine!" He roared. "Who the fuck is he?"

Her eyes narrowed angrily. "Ronald Weasley, get the hell out of my apartment right now or I will hex you to the moon and back."

In that moment, Hermione was convinced that she would have been dead if looks could kill. He gave her one final glare before stomping out of her apartment and slamming the door behind him.

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**Wednesday, April 28****th**** 2004 – 4:20pm**

**House of Harry and Ginevra Potter**

"Oh Merlin, I am so sorry! I could just kill that idiot!"

Hermione gave her very pregnant friend an exasperated smile. "Gin, how many times do I have to tell you that you're not responsible for what Ron does?"

Ginny sighed as she leant back into the couch. "Yes, well it makes it very difficult when my brother acts like a complete arse!"

Hermione giggled at her friend, expressing her thanks to Harry as he dutifully placed a tray of tea and biscuits in front of them. She had hoped to avoid letting the Potters know about Ron's outburst but he had apparently gone straight to their house after leaving her apartment in a rage. They had instantly known that he would have lost it at her and had Owled her the moment he had left.

"I'm well aware that he's an arse, but it's nothing you should be worrying yourself over. Especially not when you're pregnant."

Harry frowned at his dear friend. She was notorious for playing down a situation, not recognising or at least not admitting when she needed help. "I just don't like it, Mione. We all know what the Weasley temper is like." He flashed a small smile at his wife in response to her huff of indignation. "I just get worried that he'll lost control one day. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

Hermione smiled at him again. "Harry, I can take care of myself. We both know that I'm much more skilled with my Wand than he is. If he does try anything, he's the only one who will come out scathed."

Ginny giggled at her statement as Harry choked on his tea. He spluttered as he settled himself, smiling widely at his friend. "Fine then. I'll leave it for now, but if anything happens I want to be the first to know." He was appeased as she nodded in agreement. "So tell me, who _is_ the lucky man?"

Hermione groaned at his inevitably question. If only she could answer him without having to wait until the ball. If only she could explain the real damned situation to him. She glanced over to the redhead, receiving a knowing grin and wink in response. She inwardly thanked her lucky stars that Ginny had managed to keep her mouth shut thus far. She slowly set her cup on the table in front of her.

"Harry, you'll find out at the ball." He opened his mouth to reply, silenced by her raised hand. "We've talked about it over and over again and we decided that the ball would be the best time – much simpler than telling everyone individually."

He stared at her momentarily, eyes crumpled in confusion. "Mione, what the hell is going on?" He asked, running a hand through his notoriously unruly hair.

Hermione smiled sadly at him. "Harry, please just trust me. You know I don't make decisions lightly. You'll know everything in a few days." A deep pit was forming in her stomach; she absolutely hated keeping secrets from him. They had always been so close, he was like the brother she never had. And yet here she was, deceiving him in perhaps one of the worst ways imaginable – fraternising with the enemy. Draco wasn't exactly his enemy anymore – even Harry had to admit that the man had truly changed from his school days – but it certainly didn't help that he had been the bane of their existence for 7 years.

Harry leant forward, placing an earnest hand over hers. "What are you going to do about Ron? You know he's not going to take it well, whoever the guy is. No matter what, he's going to make a complete scene at the ball."

Hermione grimaced. For some ridiculously stupid reason, she hadn't quite thought of that. But then again, Ron was going to react the same way no matter what; whether it be at the ball or in two years' time, whether it be Draco Malfoy or the bloody Pope.

"Harry, I can't keep living my life by tiptoeing around Ron. We both know that our relationship was not right. We used to argue _all_ the time; we could never get through a single night without screaming at each other. We would never have been happy together and he just needs to understand that and move on! I'm sick and tired of having to deal with his crap! I'm not his – I never was and I never will be! He needs to grow the fuck up!"

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**Wednesday, April 28****th**** 2004 – 5:08pm**

**Apartment of Hermione Granger**

She dropped her bag onto the couch with a huff, shuffling to the kitchen to pour herself a rather generous glass of Firewhiskey. The rest of her afternoon with the Potters had been dreadfully awkward after her small outburst. If there was one thing that the great Harry Potter and his wife were bad at, it was dealing with an irate Hermione Granger. They had fallen into uncomfortable small talk before Hermione had deftly engaged Ginny by asking about the pregnancy. Sweet Circe, the woman could talk.

Settling into her couch, she took a substantial sip of the amber liquid, revelling in the burning sensation that travelled down her throat. Stifling a small chuckle, she remembered the days when she had absolutely despised that feeling. The stress of having to work with Draco Malfoy had pushed her to the sweet nectar – and now, she absolutely loved it and working with him wasn't quite as horrible as it had been. It was funny how things worked out, how things could change so dramatically in only two years.

A loud rapping at the window broke the silence of her apartment, ripping her from her thoughts. A regal black and silver-grey eagle owl was perched on her window sill, its beady eyes staring irately at her. She opened her window, fussing at the stunning bird.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Have you been waiting for long?"

The owl purred at her attention as she pet its ruffled feathers, taking the small letter from its claw. She fed it a small treat as it cooed in appreciation and took flight, its expansive wings spreading wide. Leaving the window cracked open to let in a light breeze, she settled back into the couch and opened the letter. It was written in elegant script, resonating of aristocracy.

_Hermione,_

_I wanted to let you know that I really did enjoy our dinner last night._

_I couldn't help but notice that you were absent from work today and thought that I'd check in and make sure you are okay. I really appreciate the way that you opened up to me about your sister and I want you to know that I will do everything to keep your confidence. I hope your absence from work wasn't due to anything that happened last night or because of some part of our conversation._

_I hope you are well. Thank you again._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Draco._

Oh Godric, that man was ridiculously well-mannered. A small smile unwillingly rose to her lips as she reread his simple yet heartfelt letter. Draco Malfoy was an incredibly confusing man.

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**A/N: Thank you! Hope you enjoy this, and don't mind Jackass-Ron. Please review! It makes my day!**


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